Brisbane, Dec 15 (UNI) Australia reached 234/3 at tea on Day 2 of the ongoing Test match against India at the Gabba on Sunday, with Travis Head leading the charge with a superb 103* off 118 balls. Steven Smith, meanwhile, is solid at 65 from 149 deliveries. The pair have forged an invaluable 159-run partnership, rescuing Australia from a precarious 75/3 earlier in the day.
Head’s century was a remarkable achievement, marking a strong comeback after a King Pair at the same venue earlier in the year. With this knock, Head became the first player to score both a King Pair and a century at the Gabba in the same calendar year. His name joins an elite list of cricketers—Wazir Mohammad (Port of Spain, 1958), Alwyn Kallicharan (Port of Spain, 1974), and Marvan Atapattu (Colombo SSC, 2001)—who have achieved this feat at various venues.
India’s bowlers started strong, with Jasprit Bumrah dismissing Usman Khawaja for 21 and Nathan McSweeny for 9. Head and Smith combined to steady the ship. Despite sustained pressure from the Indian attack, the pair put on a resilient stand, with Smith reaching his half-century and Head continuing to flourish.
Bumrah was particularly impressive, bowling with precision and taking two wickets for 51 in 19 overs. Akash Deep was also effective, frustrating Smith with 12 false responses, setting a new record for the most by any bowler against Smith in an innings in red-ball Tests in Australia.
India’s bowlers maintained their discipline, but Australia’s run rate remained under control despite Head’s brilliance. Head’s brisk strike rate of 87.29 after lunch has given Australia a solid foundation to push forward, but India will be looking to make quick inroads.
The morning session had begun with Australia at 28/0, but India made early breakthroughs, reducing them to 104/3 by lunch. Smith and Head played crucial roles in stabilising the innings, with Smith in particular showing composure. Despite Australia’s early struggles, their recovery in the afternoon has given them a platform to build on.
Mohammed Siraj, returning from an injury scare, was steady, while Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed the dangerous Labuschagne through a sharp catch by Virat Kohli. Akash Deep’s aggressive short-pitched bowling created difficulties for Head but did not result in a breakthrough.
As the tea session progresses, Australia is in control, but India will need wickets quickly to stop the flow of runs and remain in contention.
